The data for last year also showed a 3.1% decline in overall highway deaths from 2012 and nearly a 25% drop since 2004. A total of 32,719 people died in 2013 in all traffic crashes.

“The more than three percent decline in traffic fatalities continues a long-term downward trend leading to the fatality rate matching a historic low – 1.10 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2013, down from 1.14 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2012,” the NHTSA reported.

The NHTSA also reported a 0.9% decline in large truck occupant deaths and a 6.4% drop in motorcyclist fatalities. Both were the first drops since 2009. There was also a 1.7% drop in pedestrian fatalities to 4,735. This total is still 15% higher than the record low of 4,109 five years ago.